


After the Reign

by whatsyeroffer



Series: Agent Reign Prompts [6]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Bear totally becomes the family's therapy dog, F/F, First Date, First Holiday Tradition, First Realization of Feelings, First Time Spending the Night, Mentions of Therapy, Sam adjusting to her new powers, Sam suffers PTSD, and all the cute nonsense, but it got Real, chapter 5 starts the absolute fluff, co-parent!Alex, first vacation, mild angst about Reign, so domestic fluffy times and angsty moments, this was supposed to be a happy collection of firsts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-03-07 07:37:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13430001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatsyeroffer/pseuds/whatsyeroffer
Summary: Alex and Sam begin dating and the Arias-Danvers family slowly starts to heal from the aftermath of Reign.-A collection of firsts and prompts.





	1. First Date

**Author's Note:**

> I'm taking a break from the sex scenes for now. If you want their first time together, read about it in like any other one of my smut fics lmfao.
> 
> So I had a whole bunch of prompts that I didn't want to just /individually/ post, ya know. And earlier this week, I realized they all have a theme... And bam. I can finally post some of these without feeling bad :P they're all extended versions of the ones I posted on my tumblr.
> 
> prompt: What would their first date be like (if it ever happened on the show - I'm praying)? Who would ask who out, would they go to that Italian bakery that Sam likes? Or would they go to one of those non-dates as friends and then realize it -was- a date finally kiss at the end?

Relaxing on the couch, Sam smirked at the goofy duo dancing in the middle of the living room. She had missed Ruby’s laugh and it warmed her aching heart to hear her daughter’s carefree giggles. She caught herself clutching her mug of hot chocolate tightly; she loosened her grip before it shattered from her newfound strength.

Reign had taken so much from her. The memories of the last couple months were like swiss cheese or like a badly edited movie. She had lost an entire month of her life while Reign ran rampant on National City and then _another_ month in containment at the DEO, but most of the time spent in recovery she remembered.

She was just grateful that Alex had been there to take care of Ruby. Lena and Kara had cared for her daughter during that time as well, but apparently Alex had dedicated her free time to hanging out with Ruby. She had stepped up when Sam couldn’t be there and she would be forever enamored with how caring Alex was.

As she watched Alex and Ruby play Just Dance, it was easy to see that they had really bonded. Sam never had many friends, never had time for friends, so seeing how much Ruby adored spending time with Alex set her at ease. Even if Sam had missed out on _so much,_ her daughter hadn’t been alone.

The DEO agent laughed along with Ruby and complained about some of the dance moves being too complicated. Sam grinned at the way her daughter lightly pushed Alex in the right direction to follow the dance move. She knew the woman was faking her inability to play, just to get Ruby to laugh, and Sam shook her head at the antics.

The pair did a twirl and Alex shot her a smile as she turned and Sam felt her heart flutter. Even after everything, Alex continued to be a steady presence in the house. The woman visited almost every night at Sam’s insistence.

She could justify that it was for Ruby’s benefit, but mainly she wanted Alex there because Sam had it bad for the woman. With how often Alex was _there_ , how could she help but to imagine her as a permanent person in their life?

Sam took a sip of her drink, hiding the upward quirk of her lips. Despite Reign being the worst thing to ever happen in her life, the ordeal had rewarded her with the support of her best friends and this incredible woman.

What she felt for Alex, she hadn’t felt since Ruby’s father…

Somehow, Alex liked her back too.

And last week, drunk on wine and thriving on the fact that they were both alive, Sam and Alex had kissed. It had felt so natural to hold Alex in her arms on the couch, it had felt so right to impulsively smash their lips together when the woman had looked at her so longingly. They had since kissed every night before Alex left too. It was getting harder to see her leave each time and Sam knew she needed to ask Alex something important tonight.

They hadn’t officially gone out yet, not with Sam still healing and spending every single free moment with Ruby to make up for the time she lost.

But Ruby was visiting a friend’s house tomorrow night and Sam could finally make her move on the adorable agent.

“Ha! Look at that.” Alex chuckled and pointed at the screen as the song ended.

Ruby went up to the TV and touched her score, “Yeah, but I still beat you.”

“Probably cause you play without me.”

“No!” Ruby swiped the back of her hand over her forehead, wiping away the few drops of sweat from their dancing.

Alex wrestled with the band of the controller around her wrist, “Uh huh,” She handed the remote to Ruby and ruffled the child’s hair, “I don’t believe you.”

“Mom, tell her!” Ruby turned to her with a grin.

Sam shot her a playfully doubtful frown, “You want me to lie?” The CFO found it insanely cute how Alex threw her head back to laugh at Ruby’s pout.

Then the red head said, voice shaking with amusement, “Now that my cast is off, kiddo. You _better_ practice.”

Sam winced at the mention of Alex’s broken tibia, familiar guilt churned uncomfortably in her stomach. But the two didn’t notice and continued their banter.

“We should play one more song!” Ruby challenged, thrusting the controller back into Alex’s hand.

Alex looked at her watch and gave her an apologetic smile. “I gotta get going, Ruby. It’s late.”

Sam mirrored Ruby’s sad frown. Her child sighed and hugged Alex, “Okay…”

“You need to get some sleep,” Alex said, but she looked at Sam and the CFO could tell it broke her heart that she had to leave. She pat Ruby’s back and stepped away from the hug. She held out her hand for a high-five. “Good luck on your test tomorrow. You’ll do great.”

Ruby smacked her palm against Alex’s, “Yep!”

Realizing that Alex cared enough to remember Ruby’s tests _after_ helping the kid with her homework most nights, Sam felt like Love had sucker punched her in the stomach. Alex went to grab her workbag from behind the couch and Sam stood to join her.

Sam set her mug down on the side table and reached out to touch Alex’s arm. As always, there was a spark from the touch that made her heart race. She had planned on asking Alex something, if only to stall her leaving, but her mind went stupidly blank.

So she smiled up at her, delighting in Alex’s soft gaze and the slight tilt of her head. “Uh,” She laughed awkwardly before she settled on, “I’ll walk you out.”

Sam dropped her hand and looked away then, while Alex slipped on her shoes. Her mom instincts honed in on Ruby and her daughter shot her a disbelieving look. Sam raised an eyebrow, surprised when Ruby vehemently motioned to Alex and mouthed _‘Ask her out!’_

She was definitely going to, still the CFO pulled a stunned expression. She knew Ruby liked Alex, but she hadn’t expected that her daughter could pick up on Sam and Alex’s developing relationship.

Sam returned her focus to Alex, soothing her face back into a smile, when she heard keys jingle. Unable to help herself, she put a hand on the woman’s arm. She squeezed as they started walking towards the door and underneath the cool leather, she felt Alex’s strong muscles.

Gods, everything about her drove Sam crazy.

The CFO removed her head from the clouds long enough to unlock and open the door. She stepped outside with Alex, pulling the door mostly close behind her. She didn’t need Ruby snooping on them.

“See you later,” Alex promised before she gave Sam a chaste kiss.

Sam’s lips tingled pleasantly and she resisted the urge to pull Alex in for another kiss. She wanted a slow kiss, she wanted to _show_ her how much she wanted to be with her… But first, she grabbed the ends of Alex’s jacket to keep her close.

“Probably tomorrow?”

Alex grinned at their almost ritualistic goodbye as of late. “Probably tomorrow.” She conceded.

Then instead of letting the woman leave with a wistful smile as she usually did, Sam held tight. She looked into Alex’s beautiful wide eyes and asked, “Wanna go out tomorrow night?” And her heart _skipped a beat_ at the way the woman lit up.

“Yeah,” She dropped her workbag in favor of stepping close and cupping her palms over Sam’s shoulders. “Where did you wanna go?”

“This Italian bakery I know has _the best_ strawberry cake that you should try and their coffee is amazing.” Sam said, practically abusing her knowledge of the agent. Those were the two indulgences that Alex could never pass up on.

Alex rubbed her hands up and down Sam’s arm, “Sounds good.” Then, like she had been shocked, she flinched and stilled. Sam didn’t have time to wonder what that was about because Alex, in a rush, asked, “Um. You mean like a date, right?”

“Yes, like an actual date.” Sam clarified. For a split second, she was almost worried that Alex would say no despite their feelings for each other.

But Alex gave her a shy smile, “Just checking,” She leaned forward and kissed Sam again. Their lips lingered, moving together with a quiet passion. It was exactly the kind of kiss that the CFO had wanted. Then Alex pulled back, “It’s a date.” She breathed out.

Sam could’ve melted into a puddle right there _just_ from how cute Alex was. She unfisted her hands from the woman’s jacket so she could drive home. Sam felt untethered, like she was floating. Since that was an actual possibility now, she looked down to confirm she was still on the ground.

She waited until Alex drove away before she swaggered back into the house. She fist-pumped, elated at the fact she had a _date_ with Alex tomorrow. Then Ruby laughed, no doubt at the stupid grin on her face, and Sam raced towards her.

Her daughter squealed in delight when she tackled her into a hug. She hated that she had to control her strength, but she picked up Ruby in a bear hug.

“You asked her out?” Ruby asked between her peals of laughter.

Sam buried her face into her daughter’s hair and nuzzled. “Sure did, baby.”

“Did you kiss her?”

“I think it’s time for you to go to bed, nosey.”

* * *

After Ruby was dropped off at her friend’s house, Sam prepared for the date. She showered, picked through her closet to find something decent to wear, and finished applying her makeup with five minutes to spare.

As she looked herself over in the mirror, the memory of seeing the ancient Kryptonian glyphs surfaced. The anxiety of the terrifying moment hit hard and she fell against the counter. She caught herself against it, but the marble countertop shattered under her palms.

Sam had to take a couple deep breaths to calm down. It wasn’t really happening again, she told herself. She quickly exited the bathroom and as she was entering the kitchen, she heard the doorbell ring. She shoved her mini panic attack to the side.

“Shoot.” She slid into some flats and grabbed her purse and keys before throwing the door open. She probably looked like a frantic mess. “Hey,”

“Hey,” Alex set her whole body aflame with her easy-going grin. “Shall we?”

The taller woman offered her arm and Sam rolled her eyes at the charming gesture. “Lead on.” She said as she linked their arms together.

There was a crackling of nervous energy between them. Sam thought it was stupid that she was scrabbling for something to say. She had no reason to be this tongue-tied with Alex! Even if this was their first date! Even if this was the first date she’d been on in a _long_ time…

Alex helped Sam with her motorcycle helmet, though the straps were still adjusted from the last time the woman had given her a ride. “I guess I don’t really need this.” Sam joked as Alex’s fingers danced along her jaw and under her chin to make sure it was on properly.

“Hey, I’m not gonna be the only one with helmet hair.” She said before sliding her own helmet on. She straddled the bike and twisted to pat the back of the seat.

Sam settled behind her, closer than strictly necessary. She wrapped her arms around Alex as the motorcycle rumbled to life. She pressed against the woman’s back and rested her head between her shoulder blades.

The DEO agent revved the engine and they zoomed off towards National City. Sam would never get tired of riding with Alex. The woman liked to drive fast, liked to take the turns a little too sharp, causing Sam to hold on that much tighter.

They arrived at the bakery soon. Sam shook her hair out and Alex ran a hand through her short hair as they entered the small café. Sam leaned against the taller woman while they stood in line to order.

“This place is cute.” Alex commented, looking around.

“Oh yeah, it’s like a five-minute walk from L-Corp. Sometimes I come down here for a breather.” Giddiness jolted through her bloodstream when Alex wrapped an arm around her waist.

Outwardly though, Sam made sure not to make a complete fool of herself. Alex might call her a dork and a sap, but she was also the CFO of a multi-million-dollar business; so she could order a slice of cake and two coffees without the barista knowing she was on cloud nine.

When they went to pay, Alex put up a bit of a fight. “Here let me get it.”

But Sam handed her card over to the barista. “I asked you out, I pay for it.”

“Thanks,” Her grumble halfhearted. She kissed her on the cheek in spite of the couple of customers in the store and the blushing barista behind the counter.

Sam led them over to a table in the corner of the café. Alex shrugged off her leather jacket and looked _too hot_ in her white t-shirt and black jeans. Sam distractedly took a sip of her coffee to act like she wasn’t openly checking her out and she was immediately glad that she couldn’t burn her taste buds off anymore.

Another perk.

“So, our first date.” Alex started with her adorable goofy grin.

Sam slid the plate of cake to the middle of the small table and picked up one of the forks. “It’s about time.”

“I…” The woman huffed out a laugh then, “Yeah, really.”

Sam took the first bite of the beautiful slice of strawberry cake and it was like heaven. When Alex tried some, then moaned her approval of the taste, the CFO nearly swooned at the sound.

She swallowed, trying to keep her mind on track with the conversation. “You should’ve seen Ruby’s face last night.”

“Wait, did she know?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah.”

Alex shook her head. “I thought she was teasing me about becoming her second mom, but she actually wanted us to get together.”

Sam’s eyebrows shot up. Ruby had said that to Alex? Just as she started to plan her scolding for her daughter about being _way_ too forward, Alex must’ve caught her astonished expression and taken it the wrong way.

The badass DEO agent choked on her forkful of cake and Sam had to carefully pat her on the back while holding back her amusement at how _fucking cute_ and _utterly awkward_ the woman was.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked with a laugh once Alex had stopped coughing up a lung.

Alex cleared her throat and nodded. “Yep.” Her voice was hoarse. “Just embarrassed beyond all belief.”

She smiled at her. “I should be embarrassed; my kid has like, no tact.”

“Wonder where she got that from.” Alex teased.

Sam playfully narrowed her eyes at her. “Hey now.”

Alex put her hands up in surrender, “I take it back.”

They shared a laugh and more cake. The CFO ended up eating most of it, but she offered the last bite to Alex. She held the fork up to the woman’s mouth, “Here.”

“Normally I’d say I could feed myself.” She said with a coy smile.

Sam shrugged a shoulder up, playing along. “More for me then,”

But Alex’s hand shot out and she directed the fork into her mouth; her lips closed over the last bite of cake, she pulled back and let the metal of the fork glide against her teeth. Sam brought her hand back from across the table and pretended to be scandalized, even as she winked at her. She licked the remnants of the cake off of her fork and watched Alex’s eyes widen. Seeing that she had that big of an effect on the woman made her grin evilly. Her poor agent blushed a little and once Sam put the spotless utensil on the plate, she stood with the trash.

She stopped before taking a step, looking around the table. Sam was about to ask her what she was doing, but then Alex laughed at herself. “Sorry, sometimes I forget that I don’t need that cane anymore.”

Then the date took a serious turn.

Sam tried not to frown as the guilt from what Reign had done bubbled up. Her villainous alter-ego had killed numerous, hurt hundreds, and she felt so ashamed that Alex had been one of the ones hurt during the debacle.

She should’ve gone to the DEO sooner, she should’ve fought harder against the mind control…

She cringed as Alex’s chair scraped along the tiled floor. The woman sat close, their knees touching in a grounding way, and the plate and forks were abandoned on the table again so Alex could hold her hand.

“Hey, don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Blame yourself.”

Sam scoffed. How could she _not_ blame herself? “But Alex-“

“Stop,” Alex’s brown eyes pierced into hers. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I _was_ Reign, Alex.” She hissed, careful to keep her voice a whisper.

“I know, but Sam… _You_ didn’t do it. You had no control over what _she_ did.”

While that was true, “I can’t believe you still want to date me after all of that though.”

Alex laughed and squeezed her hand, then laced their fingers together. She leaned forward to quietly say, “It might be hard to believe, but I’m sorta used to drama with Supergirl being my sister, ya know.” Then she sat back to joke, “Besides, it’s not my first broken bone and I doubt it’ll be my last.”

“You might be used to it but…” Sam sighed as she stroked her thumb over the back of Alex’s. “I dunno… I’m not.”

“Do you… I mean, would you wanna try therapy?” Alex asked, looking far too concerned.

Sam felt her eyes prickle painfully-- _embarrassingly_. She didn’t want to cry on their first date but Alex’s worried expression got to her. She, as Reign, had snapped the woman’s tibia and _she_ was still this sweet and this caring?

The CFO blinked back the wetness pooling in her eyes. The agents at the DEO had made her go through several psych evaluations and she had considered taking them up on their offer for therapy but in the end decided not to.

She shook her head, “When would I have time for that?” Her almost bitter laugh was watery.

“We can talk then, if you want.” Alex scooted closer, her brown doe eyes looked so sad. “You can talk to me about anything, okay?”

Sam blew out a breath. She appreciated the woman’s concern, but having Reign take over her body to murder in the name of _justice_ felt like too large of a topic for this small café. She took a sip of her coffee first, needing a moment to collect herself.

Then finally she said, “I don’t think I’ll get a second date if we talk about Reign.”

Alex bit her bottom lip to keep from grinning. “You can have as many dates as you want, ya know.”

And that floored her even more. “Why are you so sweet to me?” She asked, her tone harder than she meant. She looked away as she said, “I _killed_ people, Alex.”

“No,” Alex insisted. She put her hand on Sam’s cheek, “Stop saying that it was you.” Sam leaned into her touch and Alex continued. “You’re one of the most amazing people I know, Sam. You had _that_ coding hardwired in your brain, but you still managed to come back. Know why?”

Sam shrugged in response.

“Cause you have an incredible daughter you gotta finish raising. Cause you’re smart and brave and-” Alex’s serious expression melted into a smile, “And you’re determined to be the best for Ruby. I knew you were gonna come back because you’re so strong.”

Sam couldn’t believe Alex had that much confidence in her throughout Reign’s terrorism. She really thought that highly of her?

Apparently, she had asked that out loud because Alex nodded then answered, “You’re all of that _and_ my favorite dork too.”

Sam actually cracked a smile and then she laughed. “You’re my favorite nerd.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course, babe.” The petname slipped out so casually.

Alex beamed for a moment, then her thumb caressed Sam’s cheekbone. “You need to forgive yourself for something you didn’t even do.” She pulled her hand away, letting it fall to Sam’s thigh. “Forgiving yourself… It’s tough… But I’m here. No matter what.”

“Thank you, Alex.” Sam leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips. She knew forgiveness and recovery would be a battle, but it would be easier with Alex there for her.

When she pulled back, Alex looked blissfully dazed. It took her a second to return to earth and she cocked an eyebrow up teasingly. “Well, thank you for that. And for the date.”

Sam bumped her knee into Alex’s under the table. “Sorry about how heavy it got.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

She laughed, mostly at how hard she had already fallen for this gentle badass. “Then can I buy you another coffee?”

Alex’s smile was everything. “You won’t hear me complain.”


	2. First Sleepover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I should be back to posting more regularly now that I survived the end of the month at work :P
> 
> This was honestly just a prelude for the next chapter.

Her new powers were… weird.

One minute she was comfortably cuddling on the couch with her girlfriend and daughter. She was listening to Ruby animatedly talk about her day at school and about getting the solo in her chorus class. She grinned proudly at her. Though she had missed one of Ruby’s school functions (on account of Reign...), she felt a twinge of relief that she would get to attend this upcoming concert. She was about to congratulate her daughter-

But then, her super-hearing randomly activated and her eardrums threaten to burst because a neighbor had started up their lawnmower.

Her sharp gasp made Ruby stop midsentence. Sam’s hands flew up to cover her ears, trying to muffle the _deafening_ sound. Her eyes snapped shut and she was in so much _pain_. She felt Alex and Ruby worriedly shift closer.

“Mom?”

She could hear her daughter. But it was like she was underwater; her daughter’s voice sounded far away- garbled, barely audible. Instead, she was drowned out by the overwhelming rumbling of the lawnmower.

Why were her ears focusing on that?

Alex wound her arms around her. Sam, keeping her hands pressed to her ears, sought the security of her girlfriend’s hold. Alex guided Sam into her room and she fell into bed, curling in on herself as the onslaught of noises consumed her. Even though the bedroom door was closed behind them, the lawnmower roared on like she was _next_ to it.

“Alex.” She moaned.

Her head was throbbing with the overstimulation of sounds. She was sure if she pressed her hands any tigher to her ears, she would crush her own skull by accident. To top it all off, the power flares induced intense panic attacks. She was probably only a few seconds away from hyperventilating.

Sam used to hate looking weak. She had come this far in life by herself and disliked asking for help. But then Alex stormed past her defenses and her stubbornness. The DEO agent offered unconditional support and comfort and Sam let herself be _weak_ with her.

“Hold on, babe.”

Because Alex always knew how to help; after all, she had the expertise of helping an overwhelmed Super. Under the hundreds of layers of noises, Sam registered how her girlfriend turned on the sound machine. Recorded ocean waves played quietly in the room, but her hyper-focused ears wouldn’t relent.

Alex handed her a pillow and sat down on the bed next to her. Sam burrowed under it before moving her hands to press the pillow to her ears in an attempt to dampen the noises. Every couple of seconds, there was a prick of pain to accentuate the _ache_ just behind her earlobes.

“Sam,” Alex rubbed her back soothingly. “Listen to the waves.”

Kara had tried to talk to her about ‘tuning’ her super-hearing, but Sam never understood it in these moments. How could she try to single out a sound when _everything_ was masked by the loud as fuck lawnmower?

“Sam, I need you to focus.” Alex was using her ‘doctor voice’ and although it sounded like a whisper, Sam clung to her calm and strong tone.

Sifting through each layer of noise was like trying to tune a radio. As soon as she picked up on the waves, it would flicker out again and she was beyond aggravated. But Alex continued to rub her back, grounding her from getting lost in the bombardment.

 _Finally_ , she managed to tune into the sound machine. The rest of the world stayed at a dull roar, but this was progress. She started to breathe in time with the ebb and flow of the waves.

“You’re okay, Sam.” Alex promised.

But gods, Sam felt like a burden.

The noises flared again, sharpening and overlapping, as she thought about how her girlfriend had to talk her down from these episodes on a daily basis. She swallowed when she heard her daughter’s frantic heartbeat from right outside of the bedroom door.

Why couldn’t she get better for Ruby and Alex?

“Sam.”

Her girlfriend’s voice broke through the uproar. Sam clawed her way back to sanity, finding the rhythmic crashing of the waves quicker this time. She heaved out a relieved breath.

The power flares never lasted long, luckily.

Within a couple of minutes, she could feel the tension in her body unwinding and she relaxed into the bed. Her super-hearing faded out until the sound machine was the only thing she could hear anymore.

Sam released her death grip on the pillow over her head, but stayed hidden underneath it. She was too drained to move it completely yet. She felt Alex lay down next to her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

“What do you need?” Alex, her beautiful and kind girlfriend, always asked that after one of her _episodes_.

Sam resisted the urge to scoff out a laugh. She needed her life back. But her pity party grinded to an immediate halt when she remembered hearing her daughter standing on the other side of the door.

When the first power flare had hit and after Alex had talked her down from it, Sam insisted that she didn’t want Ruby to see her like that. She knew her daughter would worry regardless, but Sam’s worst fear lingered in the back of her mind.

What if, during one of the flares, Reign somehow reemerged?

She _couldn’t_ have Ruby anywhere near her if that ever happened. And while she felt incredibly guilty and absolutely _shitty_ about essentially blocking her out during those episodes, Sam wouldn’t cave and risk the safety of her daughter.

“Can you-“ Sam paused at how tired her own voice sounded. “Go check on Ruby?”

Often her recovery from the panic attacks included needing some alone time. She wanted to be able to pick up _some_ of the pieces by herself. Still, she felt horrible for pushing Alex away each time. And worse, while she recovered from the panic attacks, she had her girlfriend take care of Ruby instead of comforting her daughter herself…

Alex said nothing as she kissed Sam’s shoulder again. She left the room and Sam _knew_ she was struggling to leave her.

But the bedroom door closed behind Alex.

And Sam moved to hug the pillow to her chest, hot tears burning down her cheeks.

* * *

When Sam returned to the living room almost an hour later, she swept Ruby into a hug. She kissed her daughter’s forehead and told her not to worry about her panic attacks. They tried to have a normal rest of the night, but she could see that Ruby and Alex wanted to talk about how she was feeling.

She just couldn’t handle it yet. So, they humored her and played a board game until it was time for her daughter to go to bed. Sam and Alex tucked Ruby in for the night before hanging out in the living room again.

Sam laid along the couch with her head in Alex’s lap. She was drained from earlier and with the way her girlfriend was softly running her fingers through her hair, she was nearly drifting off. She turned onto her side and pressed her face into Alex’s stomach; she sighed, the warmth of her breath soaking into the woman’s shirt.

Alex’s fingernails gently scratched at her scalp, sending shivers down Sam’s spine. Then she broke their comfortable silence, “You’re doing too much.”

Sam hummed and then teased, “Right now? Not really.”

“I meant,” Alex tapped her fingers against Sam’s temple before she resumed playing with her hair, “You’re trying to throw yourself back into work when it hasn’t even been that long since-“

“Lena trusted me to run L-Corp.” Sam said as she lifted a hand to rub the side of her face tiredly. “She gave me this great opportunity.”

“And then you were possessed by an evil WorldKiller.” Alex added on pointedly. “Lena said you could return to work _whenever_. She’s your friend and she knows what you’ve been through.”

“Yeah. But Alex… I need…” She trailed off, frustrated.

She needed the distraction of work. She didn’t want to be _stuck_ with free time, thinking about what happened or what she missed out on. Work provided an escape and a sense of normalcy. Plus, she felt like she was starting to repay Lena’s kindness and understanding if she was at L-Corp as the CFO like her friend had hired her for.

Anxiety and guilt, no matter how good a day she’d had, always swirled uncomfortably beneath the surface and she couldn’t figure out how to make it _stop_.

“What do you need?” Alex whispered, prompting her to continue.

Sam huffed out a breath and shifted to lay on her back again so she could look at her girlfriend. She melted at how the agent gazed down at her. Alex’s brown eyes, usually dancing but guarded around their friends, were so expressive when they were alone. Underneath the soft, watchful, almost _loving_ look- she could easily read her girlfriend’s worry.

Alex was her rock, her protector, while she healed. And after a stressful week of dealing with these finicky powers, of having to lay awake at night because of her _fear_ of sleeping…

Sam blurted out, “Can you stay tonight?”

Alex blinked in surprise, probably not expecting that response but she smiled. “Of course, Sam.”

“Thank you.” Sam laughed, relieved. She wouldn’t have to be alone tonight…  Then she realized _what_ she had asked of Alex, her girlfriend of only a week. “It’s just that I think I’d sleep better with you here. If you have plans or think we’re moving too fast-“

But Alex didn’t act like staying over was a big deal. She traced a finger down Sam’s jawline and said, “I’ll stay.” Then she asked, “Are you ready to go to bed?”

Sam was _really_ comfortable here and knew that as soon as they got into bed, she’d be out like a light. She thought about how Alex had probably had a long day too, between work and looking after Ruby and Sam. They both needed to get some sleep.

So, she nodded, “Yeah, let’s go.”

Sam sat up and then leaned over to kiss her, one hand falling to grip Alex’s hip. Her eyes slid close as their lips moved lazily together. Alex cupped Sam’s face, making her sigh into her mouth. She loved how delicately her girlfriend treated her and when they parted, Alex tucked Sam’s long hair behind her ear.

Alex pecked another kiss to Sam’s lips and then stood. Sam heaved herself up off of the couch and lead the way to her room. She flicked on the lights, wincing at the mess scattered around her bedroom. She went to her dresser and started rummaging through it for some pajamas for Alex to wear since her girlfriend didn’t bring any for this spontaneous sleepover.

Alex looked around her room while Sam found a pair of comfortable mesh gym shorts and an old t-shirt for her to wear. “Here you go,” Sam said as she handed them over.

“Thanks, Sam.” And Alex flashed her a smile that made her heart palpitate.

Sam couldn’t help but pull her into a hug and she kissed her. She could kiss Alex for _days_ honestly. The woman’s lips were unbelievably soft and she kissed Sam _reverently_. It was a blissful experience, but she pulled back so they could get ready for bed. Alex chased her lips before she rested their foreheads together.

When Sam opened her eyes, she tightened her hold on her girlfriend.

_Gods, Alex was beautiful._

Alex’s hand came up to brush Sam’s cheek affectionately, “You look exhausted.”

“Do I have serious bags under my eyes?” Sam asked with a smirk.

Alex’s lips quirked up. “You know you’re beautiful.... Even when you look dead on your feet.”

She had the sweetest girlfriend on the planet. Still, Sam rolled her eyes but kissed her again. It was a chaste press of lips because at this rate, they wouldn’t sleep tonight.

“Okay.” Sam finally stepped back, delighting in Alex’s half-lidded gaze. “I have a spare toothbrush you can keep here.”

“Thank you.”

Sam went into the bathroom and opened one of the sink counter drawers to hand Alex the new toothbrush. With Alex getting ready in the bathroom, Sam quickly changed into her pajamas and threw her work clothes into her laundry hamper.

When the door opened, Alex had her gun laying on top of her folded clothes. “Um, I don’t suppose you have a safe?”

Sam would need to invest in one if Alex was going to be staying over regularly… For now, she said “Just hide it in the bedside table.”

Sam used the bathroom next and brushed her teeth. When she exited, Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed. The agent shyly shrugged up a shoulder and explained, “I wasn’t sure which side you slept on.”

Sam smiled at her adorable girlfriend. “I normally sleep on the other side.”

“I knew we were good together.” Alex said with a grin. When Sam cocked her head in question, Alex nodded behind her. “I like being close to the door.”

Sam flicked off the lights, went around the bed, and pulled back the covers. She slid into bed, letting out a breath as she sank into the mattress. Then Alex moved to lay down beside her.

It was such a simple satisfaction to have her girlfriend in her bed. The apprehension of sleeping dissipated as Alex leaned over and kissed her good night. She felt safe and secure and _content_.

After they parted, Sam pulled Alex into her side. She held her close as Alex rested her head on Sam’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around her midsection.

She closed her eyes and grinned when the badass agent snuggled closer. Sam’s fingertips rhythmically rubbed circles over her girlfriend’s shoulder and back. After everything they’d been through during the last couple of months, this tender and peaceful moment was well deserved and appreciated.

Yeah, _this_ was perfect.

Sam could forget about the stress of adjusting to her new powers, she could forget about work and recovering from Reign. Because here, cozy in bed with Alex and the quietness of the night, all of that disappeared.

They drifted off to sleep like that.

And when Ruby knocked on the door at an ungodly hour in the morning, Sam nudged a sleepy Alex over to give her daughter room to crawl into bed with them. Sandwiched between two of the most important people in her life, it was all too easy for Sam to fall asleep with a smile on her face.


	3. First Steps to Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm ready to start a long-fic again lol.
> 
> These are still more prompts~
> 
> prompt: Sam decides to attempt PSTD meetings because she still feels guilty about Reign and it really helps to builtd a better relationship with Alex (who all this time has been helping her taking care of Ruby, especially when she gets overwhelm with things like loud noises )
> 
> Also, I didn't write like that actually PTSD meeting cause I don't know what they're like and I don't wanna get it wrong. Basically I imagine it like how One Day at a Time showed it. Sam just chattering on about her daughter...

Of course, Alex noticed the way Sam wasn’t really recovering. She didn’t expect her girlfriend to miraculously overcome the downright _horrifying_ experience, no. This kind of trauma would take a while to deal with, especially when Sam seemed content to ignore her symptoms.

It was harder for Alex to ignore them though.

She hated that Sam had to go through this at all. Sam was sweet and beautiful and _trying her best_ for her daughter, but her destiny designed on a dead world all but destroyed her ability to have a normal life.

And Alex understood the woman’s desire to pretend it didn’t happen, but it wasn’t conductive to her recovery. It was nearly _impossible_ to keep her mouth shut about wanting Sam to _talk_ to her or Lena or Kara or a therapist… Sam just needed to rant to _someone_ because she had a tendency to downplay everything. She was bottling it all up and it scared Alex.

The DEO agent stayed at the Arias house six nights out of the week now at Sam’s insistence. She would do anything to help Sam heal, so it was no big deal. Alex would _gladly_ spend all of her time outside of work hanging out with Sam and Ruby. Despite how new their relationship was, they were melding and building routines and they were starting to feel like a _family_.

But Sam was using her as a crutch.

Sam continued to suffer with nightmares of Reign. Each night, each scream, it shot through Alex. Holding her girlfriend and talking her down from the gruesome visions didn’t feel like _enough_. Sam would shake in Alex’s arms and not fall asleep for the remainder of the night.

But Sam would never elaborate on what the nightmares were about.

Alex knew how difficult it was to open up and be vulnerable, so she tried not to push. All she could do was be there for Sam. She helped her through daily anxiety attacks, containing her tears at seeing her girlfriend in so much _pain_. She needed to be strong though.

But then Sam would close in on herself.

Alex took care of Ruby when Sam was feeling too overwhelmed and needed alone time to meditate. Seeing how upset Ruby was over her mother shutting down was downright heartbreaking. Alex distracted the teenager with games and food and trips to the park. She reminded and reassured Ruby that Sam loved her and she would get better.

But Sam wasn’t getting better.

Alex and Kara scheduled weekly ‘power training’ sessions so that the new Super could start building her control. Sam was resentful of her powers that flared with her emotions and Kara couldn’t convince her that eventually she’d enjoy being a Kryptonian. Alex knew Sam was fearful of that part of herself, the woman had at least divulged that.

But the rest remained a mystery.

She would wait patiently for Sam to talk to her. Eventually that would happen, right?

Alex wished it would happen sooner rather than later though. She sighed into her cup of coffee and glanced at her girlfriend sitting at the kitchen island. Sam was applying her makeup using the camera feature on her phone instead of of the bathroom mirror.

Ruby had told Alex about finding Sam curled up on the bathroom floor one night. Alex knew the woman avoided mirrors and she wasn’t over whatever hell she had been through.

Feeling useless, but wanting Sam to know she could cope with her trauma however she wanted, Alex set her coffee down and moved around the counter to kiss the woman on the cheek. “You look beautiful.”

“Don’t turn me into mush this early in the morning.” Sam twisted on the barstool and pulled Alex by her belt loops to stand between her legs. Alex’s smug smile was met with a slow, tender kiss. Sam laughed when she pulled back to see that some of her unblotted lipstick had smeared onto Alex. “Sorry.” Her thumb brushed over Alex’s lips to wipe it off.

Though mostly hypnotized by the amused gleam in Sam’s brown eyes, Alex noticed how tired she looked. Alex’s rested her hands on her girlfriend’s hips, still trapped between Sam’s long legs.

The inner doctor in her came out as she asked, “Did you sleep well last night?”

“With you? Always.” Sam tried to distract her with charm (she totally got Alex to blush).

But every time Alex had woken up in the night, Sam had been awake. Alex hummed and wondered if Sam’s finicky powers would protect her from sleep deprivation. When was the last time Sam had even _tried_ to sleep?

“That’s good.”

* * *

The lack of sleep was definitely starting to wear Sam down. After a tiring day at work, she was bleary eyed from staring at too many spreadsheets. She was practically dead on her feet when she got home later that afternoon to find Alex and Ruby at the kitchen table. Her child had an assortment of textbooks scattered around her as she attempted homework with Alex’s supervision.

“Hey Sam,” Alex turned in her seat to greet her, but her smile faltered upon seeing how exhausted she was.

Sam wiped the weary look from her face, gave her a reassuring wink, and checked on the kid. “Hey, Ruby. How was school today, baby?”

Ruby shrugged, bent over her notebook. “I had three tests today.” She grumbled. “Teachers shouldn’t schedule tests all on the same day.”

Sam planted a kiss to the crown of her head. “I’m sure you did awesome. But wait, they gave you homework too?”

“Yup.”

The huffiness made Sam chuckle. The mother went into the kitchen to look through the cabinets to find something easy to cook-

“And don’t even worry about dinner tonight.” Alex said, “Ruby wanted Chinese food tonight as a reward for surviving school.”

Sam rolled her eyes at how Ruby had Alex wrapped around her finger. Honestly, her girlfriend would give the kid anything she wanted, regardless of whether or not she had a reason... This was definitely a win-win though. “Good. I was craving that earlier today.”

She went to change into her pajamas, wanting to relax in comfortable clothes. When she returned, Alex was pacing in the kitchen with her phone to her ear as she placed their dinner order. Ruby had closed her textbook and relocated to the couch.

Sam poured herself a glass of water and went to join her daughter in the living room. She sat on the opposite end of the couch so she could finish reading her newest book. She flicked on the table lamp and automatically leaned into her girlfriend when she plopped down beside her. The CFO put her arm around the woman to pull her even closer.

“Food’ll be here in thirty minutes.”

Sam squeezed Alex’s shoulder. “You’re heaven sent, I swear.”

Alex’s ears tinted red even as she scoffed.

As Ruby’s gaming system booted up and Alex settled more comfortably into her side, Sam began reading. In an attempt to avoid worrying her daughter with therapy sessions, the CFO had purchased a self-help book specifically on PTSD. She had already read the chapter, “ _Dealing with Survivor’s Guilt,”_ five times, but she refused to move onto the next chapter until she could complete the recommended ‘assignment’ that went along with it.

She wanted to get past this.

She _needed_ to get past this.

The book stressed the importance of facing her overwhelming feelings by journaling. In this particular entry, she was required to write a letter about her traumatic experiences addressed to her loved ones. She could understand the merits of sharing some of the details and explaining _why_ she felt so horrible about it, but she could barely gather her thoughts on where to begin.

And how could she write down what happened when every time she started, she broke a pen in half?

So, here she was… Reading this damn chapter for the sixth time.

The book tried to convince her she wasn’t a burden on her loved ones. Clearly, the author didn’t understand the depth of her guilt.

If _she_ wasn’t the one that had caused all of the grief, she would wholeheartedly agree with the book. Every survivor deserved all the love and support of those around them, but she felt like she was the exception to that rule. She felt irredeemable in some ways.

Lena, her best friend, had trusted her with the success of L-Corp. No doubt Sam’s numerous blackouts had negatively impacted the company, why else would Lena have stepped up to replace her? The kind Luthor had graciously allowed Sam to return to the CFO position and Sam felt like she _owed_ her friend a great debt.

Kara, her newest best friend and Lena’s girlfriend, was a ray of sunshine. She was cheerful, beautiful, and _Supergirl._ And Sam had beat her into a coma. Somehow, Kara never looked at her differently than before. Sam didn’t know how to thank the blonde for her sympathy.

Alex, _her girlfriend_ , had suffered several injuries. Broken bones, bruised ribs…  She had adopted Ruby when Sam disappeared, she had worked with Lena countless days to find a cure, she had fought side-by-side with her sister to take down Reign. As guilty as Sam felt for dragging Alex down, she couldn’t imagine her life without the agent.

Ruby, _her entire world_ , had been left alone during the ordeal. It broke Sam’s heart to think about how terrified she must’ve been. _Her daughter_ was traumatized, all because Sam couldn’t fight off Reign’s control.

Her powers flared with her anxiety.

Luckily she was almost used to the intense overstimulation now. She had gotten better at ‘tuning’ her super hearing during the last week. Still, it was too much to focus solely on Ruby’s heartbeat when she could hear the rush of blood in her daughter’s veins; she could feel the pounding of her heart even from the distance of the couch.

Alex’s hand landed on her thigh. “Spacing out over there?”

Sam tried to shake herself back to reality. Eventually the background music to Ruby’s game calmed her enough and she felt Alex pat her leg in a gentle rhythm. Sam emerged from one of her milder episodes before looking up from the book to crack a smile at her girlfriend.

“Yeah, I think so.”

Alex tilted her head in that adorable way that she did, silently encouraging Sam to divulge what was on her mind.

“It’s nothing,” Sam shrugged a shoulder up, “Just the hearing thing.”

“Kara would love to help you out again. Seriously, Sam. She-“

“We can talk about it later.” She said, biting the inside of her cheek at how short she had sounded. She didn’t mean to be that way to Alex, but she hated the idea of wasting Kara’s time.

Alex frowned and Sam’s eyes dropped back to the book. The CFO could sense how much Alex wanted to argue about her stubbornness, but then gunfire rang out from the TV.

The rapid rat-a-tat-tat, a familiar and haunting sound that plagued her dreams, made her suck in a sharp breath. Memories of her nightmares, the veiled days when Reign went on her killing sprees, hit her like a truck. She didn’t even realize she had flinched until she heard Alex’s hiss of pain.

Sam released her hard grip on Alex’s shoulder and pulled her hand away before scrambling to the corner of the couch.

“Oh god, Alex-“

“No, I’m okay.” Alex rolled her shoulder and tried to reach out to offer her a soothing touch.

But Sam bit her lip and evaded her. She let her book fall to the floor as she stood, needing some fresh air. “I’ll be right back.”

The door slammed shut behind her and the guilt and chill of the evening chipped away at her. That wasn’t even Reign that had hurt Alex. That was all _her_. She was dangerous… What if next time she accidentally cracks a bone? What if she had hurt Ruby? She felt her stomach flip violently.

Then their dinner arrived in time to interrupt those thoughts of worst case scenarios. She accepted the bags of containers filled with food and when she went back inside, Ruby was playing a different game and looking particularly apologetic.

Meanwhile, Alex had her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes flashed, but beneath the anger Sam could only read how _worried_ her girlfriend was.

Sam tried to downplay her moment by holding up the bags of food. “Dinner is here.”

\--

After a rather uneasy dinner, Ruby said good night to the adults. Sam avoided the impending intense conversation with Alex by saying she was tired and needed to go to bed too. Since the woman wanted her to rest, she didn’t put up a fight.

When they crawled into bed, Sam realized _this_ would be an issue. They normally cuddled while they slept. She loved it, of course. She loved how they held each other, how they stayed a tad too warm being so close, how their legs would tangle together…

Alex had been hurt earlier, but selfishly Sam couldn’t ask her to leave.

Sam swallowed back the self-loathing and pressed a quick good night kiss to Alex’s lips before turning onto her side so her back was to her girlfriend. Alex sighed as she wrapped an arm around Sam and cuddled her from behind. She relaxed into her girlfriend’s embrace, succumbing to sleep after almost four days.

Unfortunately, the sleep deprivation combined with the gunshots from the game triggered a rather horrible nightmare of gruesome scenes from Reign’s control. Sam couldn’t stop _seeing_ the carnage. She was there in the middle of it. Surrounded by the screams and the flames and the smell of blood.

Then someone was shaking her out of the disturbing dream. She gasped awake, heart pounding as she instinctively grabbed the hand on her shoulder. She finally crashed back to reality at the shout of pain.

“Alex?”  Sam pulled her hand back as she sat up, “Oh shit! Sorry!”

But Alex simply held her injured wrist to her chest. “Sam, are you okay?” She was on the edge of her side of the bed, sitting up with her legs tucked under her.

Before Sam could answer, Ruby ran into their room and flicked on the lights. She looked far too troubled for a twelve-year-old and Sam frowned at the panic that lingered in her daughter’s eyes. “Mom?”

“I’m okay, just a nightmare.” Sam sat up and pushed her sweaty hair from her face.

Ruby crawled onto the bed, but Sam shook her head when her daughter tried to hug her. She was _scared_ to be near Ruby. “I’m fine, baby. Go back to sleep.”

Alex huffed. “You’re not _fine_ , Sam.” Her girlfriend’s frustrated frown made Sam bristle. She didn’t need Alex talking about _this_ while her daughter was there. They needed to keep her from worrying. But Alex, well-meaning, demanded, “Talk to us.”

“About what?” Sam finally snapped. She wasn’t angry with Alex, but she was so tired of how she couldn’t get past her trauma with Reign. Her misplaced rage caused Ruby to cringe away. Sam’s heart shattered when her daughter wrapped her arms around Alex and buried her head into the woman’s shoulder.

_Gods, now she had scared her kid…_

She really was the worst mother of the year (if not of all time). And she couldn’t get any comforting words out past the lump in her throat.

Instead she watched Alex hold her daughter in a side hug and she gave Sam a warning look. “Sam…” As understanding as Alex was, Sam was glad she was also fiercely protective of Ruby. At least she knew that her girlfriend would stop her from saying or doing something that would hurt her daughter…

“I-I’m sorry.” Sam sighed, putting her face in her hands. “I just had a rough day and all the loud noises and the guns on the game… I think it triggered a repressed memory of Reign.”

Alex reached over and took Sam’s hand in hers. Sam grimaced at the budding bruise on her girlfriend’s wrist. She kept her gaze down, feeling too sick to try to look Alex in the eyes.

“Did Mom do that to you?” Ruby asked.

“It was just an accident.” Alex responded, tapping the back of Sam’s hand with her thumb to get her attention. Sam refused to look up. “It wasn’t your fault, Sam.”

Sam pulled her hand away and her eyes snapped up to Alex’s. There wasn’t even a hint of fear, even as she growled. “Yes it was, Alex!” But she felt her girlfriend’s hand retract from her lap and Sam welcomed the distance. When was Alex going to learn that she couldn’t trust her? “I don’t have _control_ sometimes and I keep hurting you. What if I hurt Ruby next?”

“You wouldn’t.” Still, Sam noticed the way Alex pulled Ruby closer to her as though she needed to protect the child _now_. “And you could have control if you would-“

“Everyone has done more than enough for me!” How could she ask for more help? No, she could handle this. Just like she had handled everything else that life threw her way. “There are some things I just gotta deal with myself.”

“You’re not alone though, Sam.” Her defeated sigh made Sam wonder when Alex was going to stop bothering to remind her of that. At some point, Alex would be drained, right?

But Ruby inched closer. Her daughter wanted to prove that she and Alex would wait for her to recover. “Mom…”

It took everything in Sam not to pull Ruby into a hug, but she couldn’t risk hurting her daughter. “Rubes, you have school tomorrow. You need to go back to bed.” She used her _‘I’m not playing around, you better listen to me’_ voice and Ruby looked devastated at the dismissal.

Alex sighed again, but caught on that Sam wanted to be alone. By now, she was an expert in damage control for Sam- she playfully bumped her shoulder into Ruby’s. “Come on, kiddo.”

As they started out of the bedroom, Alex’s arm still around Ruby and Ruby letting her guide them while she drooped with sadness… Sam swore she couldn’t hate herself more. She called out to her daughter, “Good night Ruby, I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.” Her voice was so small that it broke Sam.

She groaned and fell back into bed. She felt like clawing at her face, she was so _upset_ at herself. It would’ve been easier if they had gotten rid of her powers completely, if they had been able to wipe her mind of _all_ traces of Reign. But this was the hand she was dealt.

A couple minutes later, she felt Alex slide under the covers next to her. “Babe, Ruby is really worried about you. _I’m_ worried about you.”

“I know.” Sam ran a hand through her hair, grossed out at the dampness. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, but I think you need help, Sam.” Sam nodded mutely, opening her eyes to look up at her girlfriend. Alex worried her lip for another moment before asking, “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

Because sometimes, Sam needed to be alone to cry about the horrors that she saw flashing behind her eyelids. She couldn’t articulate the constant fear that it would happen again. She didn’t want to bother Alex about it either.

Sam swallowed. “No.” Alex’s face fell, resigned, and it was like a punch in the gut.

How long could Sam keep _pushing_ her and Ruby away?

Her girlfriend sent her a tight smile, “Okay… Good night, Sam.”

“Night, Alex.” Though she wanted to say ‘ _Wait, stay.’_

Alex flicked off the lights and closed the door behind her, leaving Sam alone in bed in the dark.

_Something had to give._

Maybe… Maybe therapy _would_ help.

All night, Sam laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling _thinking_. She hated how the trauma from Reign was negatively affecting her relationship with Alex, but worse…

She was being an absolutely shitty mother to Ruby.

Her kid shouldn’t have to worry about triggers in the video games she played. She shouldn’t have to go to bed early just so Sam and Alex could talk about her breakdowns. She knew that Ruby would do anything to see her get better, but hell… Ruby was so young… She didn’t need to miss out on anything just because she wanted to help take care of Sam.

So, Sam made a decision. She would attend the PTSD meetings that the DEO had previously offered.

She had initially declined the invitation to the meetings because she thought she could heal herself, but after suffering for two weeks- drowning in panic attacks and guilt and self-loathing for not being able to recover… Therapy was starting to look like a ray of hope.

Sam moved from her warm bed and padded out of her room and into the guest bedroom down the hall where Alex was sleeping. She crawled into bed, sighing as she spooned Alex from behind. She felt Alex hold her hand and lace their fingers together. She kissed the back of her girlfriend’s neck, hoping they would be alright.

* * *

In the kitchen, Ruby stepped back from her masterpiece and eyed it critically. Alex put her arm around the kid’s shoulder and nodded approvingly. The red velvet cake they had baked together was lopsided, but iced beautifully; to top it all off, Ruby had decorated the dessert with colorful sprinkles too.

“Do you think Mom will like the cake?”

Alex grinned down at her, “Of course! You did a great job. And there’s no way Sam could pass up a piece of delicious sugary calories.”

Ruby looked proud of herself as they cleaned up their mess just in time for Sam to arrive home. Alex and Ruby were hesitant to see how Sam’s first day of therapy went; they saw the CFO wearily kick off her shoes, heard her deep sigh, and the two shared a worried glance.

Alex tried to give Ruby a comforting pat on the shoulder. Even if Sam didn’t have a good first session, things could always get better… Still, with how exhausted Sam looked… Honestly, Alex should’ve prepared more for if Sam came home like this. Now, she would need to explain to Ruby that-

But the DEO agent could’ve kicked Sam’s ass when the woman finally looked up at them and beamed. Still, the annoyance she felt at her joke disappeared instantly. Alex was thrilled that Sam seemed _lighter_ again- she had a certain glow that had been missing ever since Reign…

Sam grinned as she slid across the room in her socks and barreled into Alex and Ruby. They laughed together and Alex wrapped her arm around her girlfriend’s waist to help stabilize her. Sam didn’t hesitate to gather Ruby into a hug and sway them slightly.

Ruby giggled at her Mom’s dorky demeanor that they had all missed. She pointed excitedly to the dessert on the counter and grinned when Sam gasped.

“You guys baked a cake for me?”

“Yep!”

Alex leaned into Sam and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “To celebrate.”

“Is it Red Velvet?” The CFO asked, giving the cake an exaggeratedly hungry glance much to Ruby’s amusement. “You two are the best.” Ruby hugged her Mom tight until Sam started tickling her. “Come on, let’s eat.”

Alex pulled Sam to her while Ruby retrieved the plates from the cabinet. She melted at the way her girlfriend’s eyes _danced_ again. “Hey, I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you for putting up with me.” Sam said before she kissed her.

Alex pulled back and trailed her hands down to take Sam’s hands in hers. She squeezed as she pressed another kiss to Sam’s lips, “Take all the time you need to heal.”

And they both knew this was just another step in Sam’s recovery. It would be difficult, but they would celebrate the little things along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember kids, no one is too cool for therapy.


	4. First Dog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a minute, lol. I have so many things going on rn.
> 
> prompt from 5eva ago:
> 
> "Ruby and Kara went together to volunteer to the puppy shelter and now they are going back to the Arias-Danvers household with a tiny puppy if Alex and Sam doesn’t let her have their puppy maybe she can ask gramma Eliza to leave her with her :)"
> 
> Also, this is prob fast-forward like a month from the last chapter?

Sam and Alex wanted to go out on a much-needed date, so Kara offered to babysit Ruby.

Alex had told Kara that Ruby was handling the aftermath of Reign well enough, but the kid needed a day of fun with her favorite superhero. Kara agreed wholeheartedly. Which is why she planned to take Ruby to the local animal shelter so they could pet _all_ the dogs and cats.

Sam had signed off on the plan though she had wagged her finger and had insisted, _“Don’t bring any home. We don’t have time to take care of a puppy.”_

Kara had understood completely, but Ruby had looked a little bummed out at the rule. Alex had shook her head, but had kept her mouth shut about her sister’s impulsive streak.

But the Kryptonian high-fived Ruby as soon as the two adults left for their date. Kara changed into her Supergirl suit and made one of the kid’s dreams come true when she flew them across town.

Ruby was still beaming when Kara reemerged from behind a dumpster, where she had changed back into her civilian clothes.

“That was so awesome!” Ruby exclaimed, jumping up and down with her hands on Kara’s arm.

Kara giggled at her enthusiasm and wished she had flown them around sooner. She guided the girl over to the doors of the building and asked, “Are you ready for this?”

They practically skipped into the animal shelter.

When they entered the room of yapping puppies and barking dogs, they were in heaven. Kara watched Ruby approach one of the cages to stick her fingers through the bars to pet the adorable animal. She felt kind of bad that the sweet dogs were stuck here without owners and the attention they craved.

“Look how cute this one is,” Ruby cooed more at the dog than at Kara.

But the Kryptonian opened the cage and took the small dog into her arms. Ruby lavished the animal with pets and pressed a kiss to its fur. Kara knew the animal shelter often let volunteers walk the dogs around the building, so she asked, “We should take,” She paused to read the name on the cage door, “Prince out for a walk!”

Ruby, eager as ever, grinned. “Okay!”

\--

They spent hours with the puppies- petting and cuddling them, taking them on walks. Ruby had fallen in love with each one, not that Kara was any better off. They joked about adopting _all_ of them.

And it was all fun and games until Kara spotted a white German Shepard pouting in his cage.

Then it was all over.

She felt a strong connection with the large pup that went deeper than the instant love she had for the other dogs.

Ruby immediately noticed how quiet and almost _sad_ the superhero became. She walked over to her ‘aunt’ and felt her heart melt at the cute puppy.

“I wanna take him home.” Kara pouted as the dog licked the palm of her hand through the bars of the cage.

Ruby pet the puppy as best as she could, “You should.”

Because if Kara adopted the dog, then Ruby could help take care of him! She could stay with her ‘aunt’ some nights and they could take him on walks and watch movies with him in their laps!

“I’d name him Krypto…” The puppy perked up at the name.

“Aww!” They sang in unison.

Ruby giggled then, “He likes his name!”

Kara only had to look at the puppy another three seconds before she announced, “I’m calling Lena.”

The kid grinned as Kara raced away from all the barking dogs to call her girlfriend. Ruby stroked Krypto’s fur and sighed. She wanted a puppy of her own… She pulled her hand away, much to the dog’s displeasure, and moved on to the next cage.

Her heart melted.

Inside the smaller cage was a ball of black and brown fluff. The tiny puppy _hopped_ to the bars of the cage to greet her. Stopping in front of Ruby, his nub of a tail and his whole body wiggled in delight. She opened the cage and the puppy jumped into her arms, making her giggle at his enthusiasm.

Kara returned, beaming at the fact that Lena approved of adopting Krypto, and stopped when she saw Ruby _so happy_ as she held the puppy.

So, the Kryptonian filled out two adoption forms and hoped that Sam and Alex wouldn’t forbid her from ever babysitting Ruby again…

Knowing Alex had always wanted a dog too- Kara was counting on her sister to save her from Sam’s disapproval.

– 

And Sam was  _pretty_ disapproving when she walked into the house with Alex’s hand laced in hers and she saw a _teeny_ puppy bounding towards them.

“Oh my god.” 

Alex squeezed her hand, “Told you they’d bring a dog home,” and then she released Sam’s hand and squatted down to pet the small dog. She stuck out her hand, laughing when the puppy ‘attacked.’

Sam sighed and walked into the living room. Kara and Ruby were on the couch- her friend looked particularly guilty while her daughter just pouted up at her with hopeful eyes.

“Can we keep him?” Ruby asked, going so far as to clasp her hands in front of her chest.

Alex walked up beside Sam with the bundle of fluff cradled in her arms like a baby. She _jutted her bottom lip out_ , “Look how cute he is, Sam!”

Sam rubbed her forehead, exasperated at all the pouts aimed at her. “What’s his name?”

“Bear!” 

Alex laughed and ruffled the fur on the top of the puppy’s head. Ruby leaned over the back of the couch, grinning at Bear. The CFO covered her hand over her mouth as she eyed the puppy squirming in Alex’s hold.

Sam narrowed her eyes at Kara and the Super held up her hands in surrender. “It just happened!” Kara swore.

“Please, Mom?” Ruby tried again. “I’ll take care of him! I promise!”

Sam thought about how, even though her panic attacks weren’t as frequent since she started therapy, Ruby was always _alone_ while Alex talked her down… At least Bear could keep her company and give her some comfort during Sam’s recovery…

She sighed again and relented, “Okay baby,”

Ruby all but jumped for joy and went to hug her mom tight.

Then there was a scraping noise from the glass door to the backyard. “What was that?” Alex asked, handing Bear over to Ruby.

Kara stood from the couch and sheepishly admitted, “That’s the dog I adopted…” She went to open the door and the puppy raced over to Alex and Sam and started sniffing their legs.

Alex and Kara lavished Krypto with attention, Ruby cuddled Bear in her arms, and Sam rolled her eyes at her fate. 

* * *

Sam, Ruby, and Alex made a quick run to the pet store to buy some supplies for Bear. With Kara and Krypto gone, the trio sat on the floor in the living room and played with the new puppy.

The CFO was leaning against the couch, smiling at Ruby and Bear playing tug-of-war with one of the toy ropes. Alex kept distracting the puppy by petting his back, making him try to turn his head while keeping a grip on his end of the rope.

The best part was hearing Ruby’s carefree giggles though.

Bear playfully growled and shook his head and Ruby finally let him win. The puppy happily chewed on the rope for a moment before he seemed to feel Sam’s eyes on him. He stood up and swaggered towards her.

“He wants you to pet him, Mom!” Ruby encouraged.

And Sam had hoped her daughter hadn’t noticed…

She was more than a little nervous to pet the _tiny, fragile_ puppy… She had more control of her powers, but she still suffered the occasional flare.

Alex gave her a sad smile, “You won’t hurt him, Sam.”

Sam worried her bottom lip between her teeth then carefully stuck her hand out for Bear to sniff. The puppy wasn’t interested in formalities though. He licked her palm and nudged her hand with his head. She hesitantly scratched behind one of his floppy ears and laughed when Bear flopped over on his side.

Running her hand over the soft fur of his belly, she looked up and saw the pride dancing in Alex’s brown eyes. Sam reached out to hold Alex’s hand, then she flashed a smile in response to Ruby’s grin.

Maybe having a dog was exactly what they needed…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Headcanon that Bear sleeps on the pillow next to Ruby's head. So when Sam and Alex go to check on her to make sure she's sleeping, they both have to repress their "awwws"
> 
> \--  
> 


	5. First Realization of Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOF, I've left this one on the backburner for a while. It was mostly because I felt limited on what I could post here though this was originally just going to be a collection of shorter prompts. The seriousness of the PTSD made me hesitant.
> 
> I got over that lol
> 
> So anyway, here's one of the latest prompts which requested the first realization of feelings. So we're going back in time y'all~

It was something simple and sweet.

It was a lollipop.

\--

Sam stopped her frantic pacing, stopped mid-sentence. Somehow the unexpected gesture prevented her from experiencing a full-on panic attack- bewilderment overriding anxiety. She went slack-jawed as she eyed the red candy on a stick offered to her by the most charming woman. Alex looked up at Sam through her eyelashes, she smiled and twirled the stick to entice her.

They had done this before- it was just last week, during Sam’s MRI.

But this time _warmth_ seeped through her chest. It flooded her until she felt like she could float away. And it was that wave of gratitude, it was that glow of affection, it was that lollipop, it was  _Alex_.

_Of course it’s Alex._

The realization didn't surprise her, she almost felt like she was  _remembering_ how amazing these feelings for the woman are. Sam embraced the simplicity of the revelation that she happened to have in the middle of the night, in the middle of her kitchen.

She was calm and warm and she smiled back.

She met Alex’s gentle gaze and there was something _different_ about the shorter woman _._ It wasn't rose-colored glasses that tinted Alex in a new light- it was more like Sam was finally _seeing_ her.

Alex was more than the badass FBI agent who managed to get Ruby to crack a smile with a dorky joke after _two_ traumatizing events. She was more than the MD who made it her mission to help Sam through _whatever_ was wrong with her. She was more than her friend who sometimes got this faraway look and who’s eyes shimmered with phantom tears that she'd never shed or acknowledge.

Because Alex also attended Ruby’s school functions and sneaked the kid chocolate when she thought Sam wasn't looking. And Alex stayed up with Sam some nights because Sam was too scared to sleep, too scared she might not wake up from the next blackout. And Alex _smiled_  like she had never been hurt before.

And Alex bought  _Sam’s_ favorite treat and stashed them in her pocket, ready and waiting to give Sam something that _always_ cheers her up.

Sam’s smile grew and she crossed the kitchen, socks sliding on the tile beneath her feet. She glided to a stop in front of Alex and rocked back on her heels for a moment as the tender warmth encased her.

“I get a lollipop?” Her tease was an echo of the past.

Alex held out the lollipop, unwavering. She nodded and she looked almost shy as she _completely_ stole Sam’s heart. “As many as you want,” She breathed out a short laugh before adding, “Whatever you want.”

Sam reached out, _overreached_  so her fingertips brushed over the smooth skin on the back of Alex’s hand. She felt a crackling at the touch, but then plucked the lollipop out of the woman’s hold and the plastic wrap crinkled in her fingers.

She looked down at Alex and wondered what the cute agent would say if Sam said that she wanted  _her._ Her eyes flicked down to Alex’s mouth, where crooked teeth held her bottom lip hostage.

Distractedly, Sam pulled the lollipop free from the wrapping. She ducked down and heard Alex’s breath hitch as she pressed a kiss to the woman’s cheek.

Sam pulled back and popped the candy in her mouth and said a garbled, “Thank you,” around the lollipop.

Alex blushed, the tips of her ears pink against her red hair. Sam grinned at the adorable agent and her feelings solidified as she thought, _“Yeah, I like her.”_

* * *

It was something subtle and soft.

It was the way Sam looked at her.

\--

Alex was in Sam’s kitchen, watching the woman work herself into a frenzy. She _understood_ it, really. The poor woman was beyond worried about her undiagnosed issues, about her blackouts, about work, but mostly she was worried about Ruby. Alex’s heart ached in sympathy for the mother and she hated that she couldn't do anything to help her.

The lollipop burned in her pocket. Alex knew that throwing _candy_ at the problem wasn't going to make it go away, but she just wanted to see Sam smile.

So Alex grabbed the lollipop and grinned as she held out the woman’s weakness. She still had half of a bag left at home, but the way Sam stopped mid-rant made Alex think she should go out and buy more.

It was like a siren call to Sam, which amused Alex to no end. She twisted the stick, tempting her. She could read the astonishment on the woman’s face from the way an eyebrow quirked up, but then Alex got her wish when Sam matched her grin.

It sent a rush through Alex. Her strong heart skipped a beat and Alex thought it was just because a beautiful woman was smiling at her.

Then Sam looked at her. Even with the distance between them, Alex could see her delight dancing and crinkling at the corner of her eyes. Sam tilted her head slightly and there was a softness in her gaze that rendered Alex dazed as a familiar and pleasant feeling awoke again in her ribcage.

The realization slammed into Alex like a freight-train; she was dumbstruck and struck dumb.

 _Oh_ , _duh_.

No wonder Alex wanted to spend all her time with Sam, no wonder she wanted to be there for the woman and for Ruby, _no wonder_ she was so protective and just wanted the two to be happy.

It all just _clicked_.

She had always admired Sam’s strength, her playfulness, _her_. How could she not though?

Sam _single-handedly_ raised one of the best and brightest kids Alex had ever known. She took care of Ruby without any support system, without any breaks from her demanding job. It was an impressive feat, one that Alex thought she wouldn't have been able to do.

Despite the stress, Sam was clever and lighthearted and such a _dork_. She cracked up with Alex over random things in front of Ruby until the kid couldn't help but to laugh along. It was during the aftermath of one of those moments, when Sam had said something ridiculously cute like pancake o’clock, that Alex felt  _light_ \- like she could breathe without a crushing weight on her heart.

And that was how she felt now, except magnified. She was borderline _giddy_ as Sam skated across the kitchen, barely stopping in time so she didn’t crash into her. Alex looked up at her and felt breathless in the most _cliché_ way possible.

She had missed that feeling.

Sam was teasing as she asked, “I get a lollipop?”

Alex nodded and her attempted flirting was honestly just the truth, “As many as you want,” She laughed at the promise, at the way that she _would_ give Sam all the lollipops in the world if that would make her happy. Kara’s words of ‘ _All the things’_ came to mind as she impulsively added, “Whatever you want.”

And before she could even start to berate herself for the _confession_ , Sam reached out and touched her hand. The woman stole the lollipop from her without even knowing how much _electricity_  was flowing from the back of Alex’s hand and up her arm.

Alex thought that she was too old to be feeling like a teenager, but this gorgeous woman had sent her back to square one all over again. It was  _everything_.

She bit her lip as Sam looked at her again. In the light of the kitchen and dressed in her pajamas, the CFO was so handsome and cute and-

Sam leaned down and Alex felt stupid for gasping but Sam kissed her cheek. Alex felt the heat wash over her face.

She watched Sam expertly fling the plastic wrapping off of the lollipop; Sam thanked her before _savoring_ the taste of sweet. Alex thought, _“Yeah, you’ve got it bad, Danvers. Better invest in another bag of lollipops for her.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk what is up with this style tbh lol. Like bad slam poetry... Hope it wasn't too bad.


	6. First Holiday Tradition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one wasn't a prompt, but I wrote it last weekend and figured I should post it on here too~
> 
> I'm trying to get everything that I've written all posted on AO3, it's been a #struggle

In the kitchen of the Arias house, Alex and Ruby were preparing dinner. Music from the kid’s ipod gave them something to hum along to as they cooked. Alex was manning the countertop grill; she was oddly proud of herself when she heard the sizzling and popping of the food cooking. Next to her, Ruby was dancing in place while she covered the pot of rice again.

“This is going to be so cool.” Ruby said for about the tenth time.

Alex grinned at her enthusiasm, “Yeah, Sam is going to be so surprised.”

A dropper of green food coloring sat on the countertop and Ruby picked it up, inspecting it. “Can I add it to the rice yet?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Alex watched over Ruby’s shoulder as the kid unscrewed the cap and took the lid off of the pot on the stove. The brown rice wasn’t done yet, but it still had time to cook before Sam arrived home from work.

Much like a scientist adding solutions to a mixture, Ruby was delicate as she added the first drop. Alex snickered as the hesitancy turned into delight and Ruby went to town adding  _several_  more drops. 

“You should stir it, kiddo.” Alex nudged her and handed her a utensil.

Ruby turned the rice and giggled as the green dye spread and absorbed into the rice, turning it a  _shockingly_ bright.

The Irish Green rice was perfect.

 “Oh man, this is awesome.” Ruby stirred the rice again and put the cover on to let it cook some more. “I can’t wait to show my friends.”

Even Alex was looking forward to taking a picture of the meal they cooked together and adding it to her instagram. She ruffled Ruby’s hair, then remembered the chicken she should be watching.

She opened the grill and gave a wry smile at the almost burnt food. “Hey Ruby, can you grab a skillet?” 

Ruby reached into one of the cabinets, metal clanging loudly as she unceremoniously pulled a skillet from the bottom of the pile. She put it on the stovetop for Alex and was practically  _bouncing_  as Alex transferred the chicken onto the pan. 

“Do the honors,” Alex exuberantly waved a hand over the protein portion of dinner.

Alex and Ruby had never cooked together (Sam deemed her a fire hazard), but this eccentric meal was a perfect bonding time. She grinned at how  _ecstatic_  Ruby was as she splashed drop after drop of food coloring onto the chicken and into the skillet.

She adored her girlfriend’s kid and couldn’t believe how fortunate she was to have found the family she had always wanted. Instead of a co-parent, Alex was starting to feel like a  _Mom._  

Ruby pushed the chicken through the dye, coating it, until she deemed it acceptably green. She looked up for Alex’s approval and Alex couldn’t help but tease her.

Alex scrunched up her nose. “Oh, that chicken is rancid, Ruby. It’s  _green_.”

Ruby laughed, “I know!”

“Sam is going to think we’re trying to poison her.” She joked and set the grill in the sink to clean later. 

“Who says we aren’t?” 

Alex chuckled at the kid’s banter. She set the stovetop to its lowest setting to keep the  _green_  chicken warm and put a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “Okay, let’s set the table.”

They sang along to a pop song as they prepared everything. Now they were just waiting for Sam to get home, so they hung out in the kitchen.

“Hey Alex?” 

Alex hummed, “Yeah, Ruby?”

“Thank you for helping me.” Ruby said, nearly making Alex’s heart explode with fondness.

“No problem, kiddo.” Alex wrapped and arm around her shoulder and hugged her. “This was fun.”

Then the front door opened. Ruby flew from the kitchen to intercept her mom. Alex rested against the kitchen island, excited to see Sam’s reaction.

“Something smells good.” Sam’s voice echoed from the entrance.

Ruby enthusiastically told her, “Me and Alex cooked dinner!”

“What? Really? I didn’t see the fire department outside,” Sam walked in with her arm around Ruby and she surveyed the kitchen. Alex laughed at Sam’s impressed expression. “Wow _and_ the smoke alarm is still on the wall too.”

Alex rolled her eyes at the playful dig. “Hey, I guess I can cook as long as Ruby supervises.”

Ruby tried to push Sam into the dining room, but Sam stopped in front of Alex to give her a slow kiss. Alex cupped Sam’s face and their love poured out between them until Ruby sighed.

“Okay guys! I’m hungry, can we eat?” 

Alex reluctantly pulled away, eyes dancing at Sam’s pleased smile. Sam was pushed into a chair and Alex started to prepare a plate for them. She piled the rice and the chicken onto each plate, putting a handful of  _naturally_ green lettuce and spinach on the side, and watched Ruby deposit the meal in front of Sam.

Sam’s reaction was priceless.

Her eyebrows skyrocketed up to her hairline as her mouth pulled into a frown. Ruby was giggling at Sam, who opened her mouth to say something,  _lost the words_ , and then closed her mouth again.

Alex sat down opposite Sam and passed Ruby the other plate as the kid took a seat at the head of the table. 

“What is this?” Sam finally asked.

“Green chicken and rice!” Ruby answered with a toothy grin. “For St. Patrick’s Day!”

Understanding dawned on Sam’s face and Alex mouthed ‘food dye’ to her.

Sam played the part with an exasperated sigh, “Babe, how many times have I told you that chicken shouldn’t be  _green_.”

Ruby took a picture with her phone and laughed. “It’s just food coloring, Mom.”

“That’s a relief.” Sam dramatically put a hand on her chest. 

They all burst into a fit of giggles and dug in. Yes, there was something unsettling about eating green food but it felt like this would be a new tradition for the Danvers-Arias family.


	7. First Conference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Actually... I just missed you."
> 
> Sidenote, this one is like an overload of sap. It was an old prompt that I'm finally posting on here.

Sam’s luggage was packed and sitting by the front door, ready to go. A quarterly business meeting in Metropolis was going to separate the family for the first time since _Reign_.

Alex had her arm wrapped around Ruby’s shoulder and they exchanged a look as they watched Sam flit around the house to gather forgotten essentials. She squeezed the kid’s arm, not too worried. With the help of months of PTSD therapy, Sam had managed to _recover_ and settle back into her almost normal life.

Still, Sam was stalling and Alex wondered if the woman was having second thoughts about attending the conference.

The CFO pocketed the black-ops issued ear plugs, in case she needed them on the flight, and finally moved towards the door. “Okay, you have her insurance card. Call me if anything happens.” Sam ran a hand through her hair stressfully, “I’ll be back Sunday night.”

Alex smiled reassuringly. “We’ll be fine, right Ruby?”

“Yeah Mom.” Ruby grinned up at the two adults. “We’re gonna go to the zoo and we’re gonna play video games and Alex said we could even play laser tag!”

Sam kissed her daughter’s forehead then said, “I hope you two have fun. I’ll call every night.”

“Okay Mom.”

Sam pressed another kiss to Ruby’s head as they hugged goodbye. “Don’t forget to feed Bear.”

The small dog yapped in agreement and Alex grinned. “We’ll feed the little monster.”

Sam released her daughter and bent down to pet the puppy; Alex was _elated_ at the lack of hesitation; adopting the puppy had been such a great idea. The CFO scratched behind Bear’s ears, “Be a good boy and protect these two. Keep them out of trouble.”

The dog’s entire body wagged under the attention and then Sam stood up with a sigh.

“Bye Mom, I love you.” Ruby surged forward to give her mom another brief but crushing hug and then she turned to Bear, “Come on, let’s go get ready for your walk!”

Alex noticed the way the mother bit her lip as she watched Ruby bound up to her room. She put a hand on Sam’s arm and rubbed soothingly. “Separation anxiety?”

“And I’m not even out the door.” The CFO sighed again and then glanced down at her watch, “Oh wow. I need to be though.”

Alex laughed and grabbed the largest suitcase while Sam grabbed the other two. After they loaded up the car, Alex pulled Sam into her arms. “Okay, drive safe.”

“Of course,” Sam gave her a quick peck on the lips. “I’ll shoot you a text when I start boarding.” Another kiss, “And I’ll even text when I land.”

Alex’s chest warmed at the domesticity. She kissed Sam again, smiling against her lips. When she pulled back, she rested their foreheads together and gave Sam a squeeze, “Have fun at your conference.”

Sam scoffed. “I don’t think it’s gonna be fun.” Sam leaned close to kiss her again. This time their lips moved slowly, savoring their connection. It was almost funny that the threat of a couple days apart had them reduced to _this_ level of sappiness, but Alex wouldn’t trade it for the world.

The taller woman broke away before things got too heated. “Okay, I need to get to the airport.”

Alex hugged her tight. They had only just started saying _those_ three important words, but the truth fell so easily from her lips. “I love you,” She sighed into Sam’s hair.

“I love you too, Alex.” Sam rubbed her back. “And I’ll miss you two.” She pulled back to look into Alex’s eyes and her lips quirked up playfully, “Don’t feed Ruby junk food every day.”

Alex snickered. “But salads aren’t going to win me cool points with her.”

Sam shook her head in exasperation. “She loves carrots, have her snack on those.”

“You’re gonna miss your flight, you know…” Her retaliated tease sent them back into the reality of Sam’s departure.

“Alright.” Sam moved out of her arms to open the car door and slid inside. Alex went to stand in the grass beside the driveway, hands in her back pocket. The CFO started up the car and then rolled down the window to reach a hand out. Sam’s hand fisted in Alex’s shirt and tugged her close for one last kiss. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See ya,” Alex stepped back and waved as Sam drove away.

* * *

Later that night after all of the adventures with Ruby, Alex was relaxing on the couch. In all honesty, she was almost as asleep as Bear was from his place on her chest. He was only using her as a bed until Ruby was finished with her shower, but Alex welcomed the puppy cuddles.

Then their attempted slumber was disrupted by the buzzing of Alex’s phone. She frowned as she reached into her pocket for the device. Work wasn’t supposed to call her in this weekend unless it was literally the end of the world.

Then she saw it was Sam calling again. They’d talked for a couple minutes, hours ago, but she couldn’t help the smile.

“Hey you,” She answered.

“Hey,” Sam’s voice was rough with sleep.

Knowing there was a four-hour time difference between them now that Sam was across the country, Alex asked “What are you doing up so late?”

Sam grumbled, “I’ve never slept well in hotel beds…”

“Luckily it’s only for another night.” Alex pet the sleeping dog on her chest, “Did you wanna talk to Ruby again? I think she might be getting ready for bed but-“

“Actually… I just missed you.”

Alex grinned ear to ear. “You’re such a sap.” Still, her heart beat wildly in her chest.

“It’s not my fault you turn me into mush.” Sam argued.

“I miss you too,” Alex chuckled. Bear jostled on her chest and he shot her a look. She only had to smooth a hand down his back before he was asleep again. She absentmindedly pet him as she said, “And it’s gonna be weird sleeping in your bed without you. I might just stay on the couch because the bed will feel too empty.”

“When I get home, we’re gonna cuddle all day.” Then Sam gave a short laugh.

“What?” Alex huffed out, amused.

“Babe, it’s only been a couple hours and I miss you this much…” Alex could hear the smile in her voice. “What’ve you done to me?”

“I know what you mean, Sam.” There was a beat of silence then, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Sam sighed. “I should try to sleep.”

“You really should.” Alex smiled sadly. “Big day tomorrow or well, uh, today I guess.”

“Uh-huh.” Sam breathed out. “I’ll call you two later.”

“Good night, Sam. Sleep well…”

“Good night, Alex. You too…”

As she hung up the phone, a door opened upstairs. Bear all but launched off of her chest and she laughed despite the slight ache from the puppy’s claws. She sighed and put her arms behind her head. Maybe sleeping on the couch until Sam got home wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two dorks being too adorable? It's more likely than you think.


	8. First Vacation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: "Are you finishing that or...?"
> 
> I didn't really edit this one too much from back when I first posted it on tumblr but ya know, it's probably about time I included this in the "After the Reign" bucket lmfao

Lena had graciously allowed Sam, Alex, and Ruby to stay at her beach house in southern California. The private beach was a dream come true for all of them.

They had gotten to the beach house, a lavish minimalist styled house that was practically made of glass with all the windows, at nightfall. They had walked along the water for an hour before heading back.

First thing in the morning though, they had gone down to the ocean again. Ruby was ready to swim and frolic and play. Alex had brought her surfboard, something she hadn’t used in _years_ , but found it wasn’t hard to get back into the groove of surfing.

Ruby boogie-boarded near the shoreline where the waves were small and choppy, while Sam sat in one of the lounge chairs and soaked up the sun. Alex happily surfed for a couple hours, lost in the freedom of the waves. She paddled back to shore to check in with Sam, who was almost asleep in the lounge chair under the beach umbrella.

“You okay?” Alex asked and took a sip of water. She let her eyes roam over Sam’s reclined form, the black bikini she was wearing under the see-through swimsuit cover caught her eye.

“We need to vacation more often.”

Alex nodded in agreement. “Totally.” She handed off the half-empty bottle of water.

“Can you tell Ruby to come here?”

The DEO agent planted a kiss on Sam’s cheek and then waded out into the water sans surfboard. She laughed as Ruby crashed into the sand with a giggle. She helped the child up and winced at the forming sunburn on Ruby’s shoulders.

“Hey, we should put some more sunscreen on you.”

Ruby bent down to cup some water into her hands and splash the sand off of her legs. “I’m okay.”

Alex bit back a scoff. Clearly the kid was enamored with the ocean; she didn’t blame her at all. As always, her keen parenting skills came to the rescue. “What if we went inside for some ice cream then? Just so you can cool off?”

Ruby lit up, “Yeah, okay!” She raced towards the beach house, kicking up sand as she ran.

Alex jogged over to Sam, “Want some ice cream?”

“Is that how you got her to go inside?” Sam laughed and patted her stomach, “No, I’m good. Thank you though.”

Alex rolled her eyes at Sam’s joke. “You’re beautiful. And I don’t think she’ll stay inside, but she’s getting sunburnt.”

“She usually does.” Sam shook her head. “Try to make her put on a swim shirt or something.”

“Ice cream can only do so much,” Alex replied and then walked towards the beach house.

Holding the ice cream for ransom until Ruby applied more sunscreen and shrugged on the long-sleeve shirt turned out to be the perfect scheme. With Ruby ready for a couple more hours in the sun, Alex prepared the kid a huge ice cream cone and then indulged in one herself.

They walked back to the beach and were almost to the lounge chairs, when Alex spotted Sam in the water and stopped. Like, slammed on the breaks- _stopped._

Her girlfriend ( _holy shit how had she gotten so fuckin’ lucky that Sam was her girlfriend)_ had short-circuited her brain just by shedding her swimsuit cover.

Alex knew Sam’s body.

She had worshipped every inch of her by now. She had every dip and curve memorized…

However, she was _struck_ when she spotted Sam splashing in the water without a care in the world. Alex’s jaw fell open as she admired her girlfriend. The waves lapped at Sam’s ankles, the blue clear water was the perfect backdrop. Her beautiful toned and tan legs seemed to stretch for miles. The black bikini bottom hugged the shape of her incredibly toned ass, the strings of the bikini formed a bow at Sam’s hip bones.

Then, holy fuck…

Sam’s midsection… She was so fuckin’ _lean_ and sexy and the slight sheen of sweat on her skin made her _glow_. The bikini top covered more of her chest than Alex would’ve liked, but Sam’s collarbones jutted out deliciously.

Alex wanted to taste the ocean breeze on Sam’s gorgeous neck. The woman’s long, silky hair was tied up, but the end of the ponytail danced in the wind. She wore an adorable hat and a pair of sunglasses.

Alex felt like she was on fire and even the ice cream dripping down her hand couldn’t cool her off. She didn’t know how long she stood there, ogling _her girlfriend_. Her hot, sexy, beautiful, amazing girlfriend…

But then Ruby tugged on her arm.

Alex didn’t even turn to face her. “Yeah?”

“Are you finishing that or…?”

Alex wordlessly handed the ice cream cone to Ruby, who then ran off to sit under the shade of the beach umbrella with both ice cream cones.

The CFO noticed the pair had returned and flashed her a smile before she began walking towards her. Alex slowly brought her hand up and distractedly licked the melted ice cream off her fingers and knuckles. By the time Sam stood in front of her, there was none to share.

Still, Sam pulled her in for a kiss. Alex’s lips were marred with vanilla ice cream and Sam savored the taste with a brush of her tongue. Sam finally pulled back when Alex’s sticky hand reached up to stroke her cheek.

“You’re a mess, Alex.” She teased affectionately.

“Only for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've seen three (3) episodes of Lost Girl but the iconic scene with the ice cream was too hilarious


End file.
